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Auto Repair Advertising - Direct Mail - The 5 Step Survivalists Guide
On the surface it would appear direct mail, as a
staple auto repair advertising strategy, has long since seen its
heyday. Twenty or thirty years ago, a shop owner could send out a few
letters and actually expect a response. Today, amid the thousands of
other advertisers, the return on investments has left many asking if
their message was lost in the mail.
During our normal screening
process we ask each of our clients: "What response do you typically see
from your mailings?" The answers have become highly predictable, as
almost 94% say they send out mailers every so often, or not at all, as
they see almost no response.
That's not too surprising. Ask any
group of business owners in any industry, and you will probably get
roughly the same feedback.
What is surprising is that the
remaining 6% report seeing anything from a 9% to a 22% return on their
direct mail. What makes those repair facilities so special?
The answer is simple: They didn't stop at one mailing.
Repair
facilities seeing the highest rate of return, in almost every case, use
sequential mailings with a clear message and a time sensitive call to
action.
Before I continue, I would like to clarify something: the
direct mail I am referring to is for new business development. These
are the letters shop owners send out to get the car count up. Mailings
to existing clients are a completely different animal, and we will
cover that category a bit later.
Auto Repair Advertising - 5 Steps To Breathing Life Into Your Direct Mail
1: Use Postcards.
Postcards do not require opening. A letter requires time to open,
unfold and actually read. Consequently, a letter will, almost 10 times
out of 10, end up in the recycle bin. Unopened.
An even better advantage is that postcards cost less to make and mail. In some cases you can save over 75%!
2: Have A Clear Message. Use An Attention Grabbing Headline. With each mailing the message you communicate must be clear.
Remember K.I.S.S.? Keep It Simple, Stupid. Less is more when getting your point across.
Also,
your headline should address some sort of concern your prospective
customer has. Don't be afraid to be a bit extreme. People respond to
the idea of life or death situations.
Example: "What Happens If Your Brakes Fail? Is Your Family Safe?"
3: Make 'em An Offer They Can't Refuse. Offer
Value. Most people are starving for value. So many companies offer so
little in return that when someone actually does, consumers are almost
programmed to ask, "What's the catch?"
Don't have a catch. Be honest, open, and full of value.
A
good idea would be to give them something free with no strings
attached. But watch out! Never offer something that will eat up your
time and cost more than it's worth. The trick here is to find that
hidden value, that mysterious gem your new customers will flip over. It
must also be easy and low cost to produce.
Example: I will
never forget Les Schwab, the tire guy from my childhood in Oregon. This
man was insane enough to offer "Free Beef With Every New Set Of Tires!"
Who in his right mind would do that? To this day, I can't tell you how
beef fits in with new tires. But even though I have not been back to
Oregon in 15%2B years, I DO remember Les Schwab and always think of him
when I see a set of tires.
4: Have A Call To Action. Make
It Time Sensitive By creating a sense of urgency, you create a feeling
of scarcity in the recipient's mind. And by having a call to action,
you give them a clear message of what they must do to take advantage of
what you offer. Example: "Limited Time Only: Free Brake Inspections For
Every Car before (DATE)" Just remember to give your prospective clients
enough time to pick up the phone!
5: Don't Pull The Trigger Once... You Need To Keep Shooting! Much
like the scenes on C.O.P.S. where some guy is wigged out on crack and
has to be shot 50 times before he goes down, the same can be said for
the American consumer. In almost every advertising instance, frequency,
clear communication, and repetition are the only 3 elements that will
work. But they must be used together. Having a clear message and only
sending it once doesn't cut it. (That's like a flesh wound to the crack
head. He won't even feel it.) You must have a clear message and send it
multiple times to the same people.
Try This Schedule:
1st Mailing - Have a special time-sensitive offer and an invitation for the person to call/come in (AKA Call To Action)
2nd Mailing - 15
days later. Have a "So sorry we missed you" feel to it, and maybe offer
an additional incentive to coax stragglers out of hiding.
3rd Mailing - 15 days later. Be bold. State "Last Chance!" "Offer Will Expire Soon!" Don't be afraid to be a bit extreme.
4th Mailing - 3
to 5 days after the expiration date. This last mailing will have more
of a "Congratulations! You won second prize!" feel to it.
Note: After
each mailing you MUST remove those who respond from the list. Sending
them advertisements for the same offer after they have already come in
is not only annoying, it gets expensive. Why Does This Work? Multiple
mailings tend to make people feel your offer is more valuable. A single
mailing is easily dismissed as a potential fly by night gimmick, and
will more than likely end up in the trash.
By repeating your offer, and adding an increasing, time sensitive pressure, you help emphasize the importance of your message.
Beyond
even increasing your overall return, multiple mailings reinforce your
facility's credibility in the eyes of local car owners.
Auto Repair Advertising Final Note: How
Many Should I Send? If, for example, you are currently hitting 1000
homes and neither desire nor can afford to send that same number
multiple mailings, consider shrinking your list.
You will do better sending 250 homes sequential direct mail rather than sending 1 mailing to 1000.